Optics of Solid-state Nanostructures (Spring 2010)

Overview

This course focuses on semiconductor nanostructures, e.g. quantum
wells (QWs) and quantum dots (QDs), and their optical properties.
We will be discussing the ways in which modern crystal growth and
processing techniques are used to create low-dimensional systems for
the study of quantum mechanics, spin physics, and for device
engineering. In addition, we will highlight optical methods for
investigating these systems. The course will start by coving some
fundamental concepts and build up to review state-of-the-art
experiments.

Format and Requirements

The course consists of one 2-hour lecture per week and one 1-hour
exercise session per week. Exercise sessions will be a forum for in
depth discussion of relevant papers, assigned exercises, and general
questions. A final report on an important experimental paper is
required (4-5 pages or 3000-5000 words). The course will be conducted
in English. The grading is pass/fail.

This course will be aimed at 3rd-year bachelor and master students
in physics and nanoscience. Physics III is a prerequisite. Previous
course-work in solid-state physics and quantum mechanics is
expected.

Most of the source material and reading in this class will be drawn
from The Physics of Low-dimensional Semiconductors,
J. H. Davies (Cambridge University Press, 1998. Some reading will be
based on short sections of Fundamentals of Semiconductors,
P. Y. Yu and M. Cordona (Springer, 2005); Wave Mechanics Applied to
Semiconductor Heterostructures, G. Bastard (Les Editions de
Physique, 1988); Optical Orientation, F. Meier and
B. P. Zakharchenya (North-Holland, 1984); and from original papers in
scientific journals. Copies of these readings will be distributed in
class.